II Samuel 03 Abner makes alliance with David

 II Samuel 03

Abner makes alliance with David

7 And Saul had had a concubine, whose name was Rizpah the daughter of Ahiah: and Ishbosheth said to Abner, Why hast thou gone in unto my father's concubine?

8 Then was Abner very angry at the words of Ishbosheth, and said, Am I the head of a dog, that I belong to Judah? Even today I do benevolence to the house of Saul, your father, his brothers, and his friends, and I have not delivered you into the hands of David, and today you seek reason to plead with me because of the wickedness of a woman.

9 So may God do to Abner, and so do the same, as the Lord has sworn to David, so I will do to him.

10 Transferring the kingdom from the house of Saul, and raising up the throne of David over Israel, and over Judah, from Dan to Beersheba.

11 And not even a word could Abner answer: for he feared him.

12 Then Abner commanded messengers of his own to be sent to David, saying, Whose land is it? And he said, Make thy covenant with me, and, behold, mine hand shall be with thee, to return all Israel to thee.

13 And David said, Well, I will make a covenant with thee, but I pray thee one thing, which is, thou shalt not see my face, except thou first bring me Michal the daughter of Saul, when thou come to see my face.

14 And David sent messengers to Ishbosheth the son of Saul, saying, Give me my wife Michal, whom I have espoused for a hundred foreskins of the Philistines.

15 And he sent Ishbosheth, and took her to her husband, to Faltiel the son of Laish.

16 And her husband went with her, walking, and weeping after her, to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him: Go now, come back. And he came back.

17 And Abner practiced with the elders of Israel, saying, It has been long since you have sought that David should reign over you;

18 Do it now therefore, for the LORD spake unto David, saying, By the hand of David my servant I will deliver my people out of the hand of the Philistines, and out of the hand of all their enemies.

19 And Abner also spake the same in the ears of Benjamin: and Abner went also to say in the ears of David in Hebron all that was good in the eyes of Israel, and in the eyes of all the house of Benjamin.

20 And Abner came to David, to Hebron, and twenty men with him: and David made a feast for Abner and the men that came with him.

21 And Abner said to David, I will arise, and go, and gather all Israel to my lord the king, to make a covenant with thee; and thou shalt reign over all that thy soul desires. So David sent Abner away, and he departed in peace.